Control



Sept. 19, 1939. 1- R ET AL 2,173,105

CONTROL Original'Filed April 8, 1950 INVENTORS Char/es 0 6eer and Lb/m L D/bch ATTORNEXF Pl ne-a sea-i9, 1939' CONTROL OharlclnGeerandJohnLBiaoLNewHaven.

Conn, alaignon to The Engineclng a Research Corporation, a corporation of Conneoticnt application April 8, 1930, Serial No. 442,560, now Patent No. 2,077,924, dated April 2., 1987. Divided and this 19, 1930. Serial No. 89,622

\ 3 Galina.

This invention relates to a control having functionally and structurally improved characteristics. This application is a division of application 8. N. 442,560 filed April 8, 1930, and relates particularly to .a control mechanism adapted to be employed with contact devices and arranged to be responsive only to operation of said devices in proper sequence, and more particularly relates to such a mechanism to cooperate with avehicle actuated multiple contact device for use in road surfaces and the like so as to be responsive only to vehicles traversing such device in one direction. This application discloses the same material as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the parent application 8. N. 442,560 but the claims of the present application are restricted to the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 with particular reference to the structure of Fig. 2.

application March trating practical embodiments of the invention,

The present application discloses but does not claim subject matter on the structure of Figure 1, which is claimed specifically in application S. N. 69,623 filedMarch 19, 1936 and which application is also a division of the application S. N. 442,560 now Patent Number 2,077,924 patented April 20,

:937 wherein claims are made to the Fig. 3 strucure.

It is an object of the invention to construct a mechanism of this character which will be capable of advantageous use in numerous different associations but which has been primarily developed to provide a vehicle actuated control and when utilized in this connection being of major value when associated with a trafllc control system.

A further object of the invention is that of providing a mechanism operable by a control and whereby a predetermined functioning of this mechanism is achieved only in the case of the control being operated in a predetermined manner.

4o A still further object is that of providing structures of this character capable in certain respects of independent use but primarily adapted for cooperative functioning and which structures will involve relatively few parts individually simple andrugged in construction and capable of ready assemblage and set up to furnish mechanisms operating over long periods of time with freedom from electrical and mechanical difllculties.

Still another object is to provide a mechanism of the character indicated operable by a control which will perform a predetermined operation only upon the completion in a predetermined sequence of a succession of predetermined actions.

With these and further objects in mind, referl5 ence ishad to the attached sheet of drawings illusand in which: i

Fig. i is a diagrammatic illustration of a vehicle actuated control; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the control in associa-- tion with the mechanism to be operated thereby.

Referring to'Flgs. 1 and 2 of the drawing there is shown a schematic embodiment of an impulse relay mechanism constructed in accordance with our invention and connected to a mechanism to be controlled. For the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment of the invention, a mechanism to be controlled is indicated by the letter S and may be for example a timer or an automatic tramc counter constructed and arranged to count vehicles moving along a highway.

The road unit I conveniently includes a body located in the street so as to be actuated by a vehicle passing over the device and causing contacts to be made in a predetermined manner. One novel feature of the invention is that these contacts may be connected to be eifective to control the circuits only when the vehicle moves over the unit in a certain direction.

In the illustrated embodimentof our invention this unit includes three separate contact numbers 2, 3 and 4 insulated from each other by spacer members 5. These contact members are preferably yieldable plates which may readily be flexed into contact with each other as the vehicle passes over the device. The entire assemblage is located within a resilient moisture and waterproof envelope or casing indicated by the numeral 6. The contact plates 2, 3 and 4 are connected in circuit to a suitable source ofelectrical energy by means of lead wires 1, 8 and 9 respectively.

Connected in circuit with the switch members are eiectro-magnets l0 and ii provided with armatures l2 and I3 respectively for opening and closing circuits as hereinafter described. Disposed adjacentthe armature i2 are double contacts II and ii, a single-contact it being provided adjacent the armature i3. Magnet ill and armature II are connected in circuit with plate 2 by means of leads 8 and i1, and magnet ii is con nected in circuit with plate 3 and armature I! by means of leads 9 and 20 and contact ll. The designated unit S to be controlled by the operation of the several switch members may, as shown in Fig. 2, be connected in circuit therewith by means of lead wires l8 and I9.

contact 2.

in a street pavement wherein it is desired to record the presence of vehicles passing only in the direction indicated by the arrow, the circuits for operating the counter or timer will be completed in the following manner. A passing vehicle wheel engages plate 2 and deflects it as indicated by the dotted line, Fig. 2, so as to contact with plate 4 thereby energizing relay Ill and causing armature It to engage contact l5 and thus connect one terminal of the power supply to unit S by lead wire Hi. When the vehicle proceeds further over the road unit, the gap is closed between plates 2 and 3 by the engagement of the latter with plate 4, and the other terminal of the power supply also is connected to S via plate 3, andleacls 9 and it, thus causing S to operate and register the impulse created by the passing vehicle. As the vehicle continues along the unit, contact between plates and 4 is broken and magnet it is de-energized, thereby causing armature it to interrupt the circuit I9, so that current is cut off from the unit "55. The armature l2 now engages with contact l4 and establishes a circuit over wire 28 to energize magnet ii while a vehicle is continuing further over plate 3 alone. The energization of magnet l I causes its armature 13 to disengage from contact it to interrupt the circuit through magnet H) but this has no effect since the circuit has already been interrupted through the breaking of contacts 2 and 4 as the vehicle wheel left As the vehicle leaves contact 3 in the direction of the arrow the circuit via wire 9 from magnet Ii becomes interrupted deenergizing this magnet-and causing its armature I3 to resume engagement with contact l6. Now the mechanism is'again at its normal condition of rest. It will be observed that the contact plates 2 and ll together serve as one switch or contact maker and the contacts 3 and 4 together serve as another switch ,or contact maker.

From the foregoing, it will-be noted that the impulse for operating the unit S is effected by the predetermined order in which contact is made between the plates 2, 4 and 3. To further illustrate the operation of the device: If a vehicle,

should approach in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, plate 3 first makes contact with plate 4 and thereby energizes relay ll which'causes armature l3 to interrupt the circuit I! to magnet 10. As the vehicle proceeds and causes plate 2 to also engage plate 4, the circuit to magnet l0 remains unchanged and thereby prevents relay ID from becoming energized while plates 3 and 4 are in contact and thus the circuit H! to the counter cannot be completed so as to produce an operative impulse. After the vehicle has passed off the unit I, the circuit conditions return to normal without producing any effects on the mechanism 8". As the vehicle proceeds further and the plates 3 and 4 separate, the relay ll becomes deenergized, and as its armature l3 reengages contact IS the relay I0 is energized, and remains energized as long as plate 2 is in contact with plate 4. However, at this time, the plates 3 and 4 being separated, the circuit over wire 9 through the unit S is open and remains open as the vehicle continues over plate 2 alone.

From the above description, it will be noted that it is necessary that the relays l0 and ll be successively energized in a predetermined order so as to'permit an electrical impulse to operate the counter mechanism. Thus we have provided a simple and efiicient mechanism which shall accurately register vehicles passing over the device in only one direction.

From examination of the mechanism it will be observed that it will not be responsive to and will not send out an impulse to unit S upon single actuations of either plate 3 or plate 2, and that only sequential operation of both plates in the predetermined order will cause transmission of an impulse to the control unit S.

The value of the present construction will be apparent when it is considered that by means of the same, a vehicle moving over a highway in a direction contrary to that in which control is to be exercised will not effect operation of the present mechanism. In other Words, a vehicle which for example is on the wrong side of the road or overlaps the center thereof and has passed the intersection will not cause an actuation of the control mechanism even although it may traverse the control unit. Accordingly no operation 01' the timer and/or counter connected to this unit will follow, but the passage of the vehicle in a proper direction will immediately result in such operation.

In this connection it will be understood that the present control has been illustrated as a road unit. According to the present invention, this is prefer ably the case. However, it will be appreciated that in certain aspects the control might be of type without effecting detrimentally the results to be obtained.

It will moreover be appreciated that numerous changes in construction and rearrangements of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

We claim:

1. A control system including power supply leads, a pair of circuit makers, a pair of relays, an operating circuitior, the first of said relays extending from ,one power lead through the first of said circuit makers through the coil of said first relay and including a break contact of the second of said relays to the other power lead, an operating circuit for the second relay extending from said one power lead through the second of said circuit makers through the coil of said second relay and including a break contact of said first relay to said other power lead, and a circuit including a register and extending from said one power lead through said second circuit maker, and including a make contact of said first relay to said other power lead.

2. A control system including, in combination, a pair of circuit makers, a pair of electro-magnets, a pair of armatures controlled one by each of said magnets, and contacts cooperating with said armatures, one of the circuit makers being connected to one terminal of a source of electric current supply and being arranged in series between said terminal, the winding of one electro-magnet, the armature and a break contact of the second electro-magnet and the second terminal of the electric current supply, the'second' of said circuit makers being connected to the same one terminal of the electric current supply, and a registering circuit connected in series between the second circuit maker and a make contact and armature of the first electro-magnet to the second terminal of said source of current supply by energization of said first electro-magnet, whereby, when the first circuit maker is primarily closed alone said first electro-magnet will be energized to connect the armature thereof in series with the second ter-v minal of the electric current supply and said registeringcircuitandwhenthesccondcireuitmaker is thereaiter closed while the first is still closed theregisteringcircuitwillbecompletedtothe first supply terminal; the armature of the first electro-magnet during deenergization oi the latter being connected through a cooperating break contact in series with the winding of said second electro-rnagnet and with said second circuit maker whereby, it the second circuit maker is primarily closed alone, said second electro-magnet will be energized to attract the armature controlled thereby to prevent connection of said first electro-magnet with the electric current supply before the registering circuit will be connected to the armature o! the first electro-magnet, and a subsequent closure of the first circuit maker while said second circuit maker is closed will not energize said first electro-magnetdue to interruption oi the circuit by the armature controlled by the second electro-magnet.

3. A control system including in combinatim a pair of switches placed in a path of trafiic and closely spaced therein so as to be operated in a sequentialorderinwhichbothswitchesarcclosed arraioc concurrently between closure of the two switches separately by a wheel rolling thereover; a pair of relays, one having a make contact, and both having break contacts; an operating circuit for the first of said relays extending from one power lead through the first switch, the coil of said first relay and the break contact 0! the second of said relays in series to another power lead: an operating circuit tor the second relay extending from said one power lead through the second switch, the coil of said second relay and the break contact 0! said first relay in series to said other power lead; and a circuit including a register and extending from said one power lead through said second switch and the make contact oi said first relay in series to said other power lead whereby said register circuit willv be completed by a wheel rolling over said switches from the direction of the first switch andtheregistercircuitwillnotbecompletedby a wheel rolling over the said switches irom the direction of said second switch.

caucus 1:. one. JOHN L men.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,173,105.

CHARLES D. GEER, ET AL. I

It is hereby certified that error appears in the. printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows Page 2, first column, lines 56 to 59, strike out the sentence passed off the unit '1 the circuit conditions return to normal without producing any effects on the mechanism "8"."

September 19, 1959.

and insert the same after the "After the vehicle has word and period "alone in line 67; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein thatthe same may confcim to the record of the case in the Patent Office. J

' Signed andsealed this 5th day of December, A. D. 1959.

( Seal) Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

